Latest news with #NorthTees
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hospital parking charges rise 'necessary'
Parking charges at some hospitals are to rise from Monday, in what health chiefs say is a necessary move. The increase will be between 30p and 60p for up to four hours, although the first 20 minutes, for pick-up and drop-offs, will remain free. The move affects Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital, the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, the University Hospital of Hartlepool, Peterlee Community Hospital and Northallerton's Friarage. Steve Taylor, of University Hospitals Tees (UHT), has previously said it was understood the move would not be welcome, but the cost of maintaining the car parks could not be covered by its current operating budget. Anything left over from running costs would be diverted to patient care, he pledged. Parking will still be free for the first 20 minutes, for blue badge holders, frequent outpatient attendees, and the parents of sick children admitted to hospital overnight. Mr Taylor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Charging for parking ensures only those who need to visit our hospitals use a parking space and ensures a swift turnover of spaces. "We would like to reassure all our patients and visitors that the income is used to maintain our car parks, including the costs of repairs and maintenance, lighting, gritting and security. "Any surplus money is diverted into patient care to support the delivery of front-line services." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Hospital parking charges to increase Hospital staff protest over planned parking change North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Teesside hospital parking charges rise take effect
Parking charges at some hospitals are to rise from Monday, in what health chiefs say is a necessary increase will be between 30p and 60p for up to four hours, although the first 20 minutes, for pick-up and drop-offs, will remain move affects Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital, the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, the University Hospital of Hartlepool, Peterlee Community Hospital and Northallerton's Taylor, of University Hospitals Tees (UHT), has previously said it was understood the move would not be welcome, but the cost of maintaining the car parks could not be covered by its current operating budget. Anything left over from running costs would be diverted to patient care, he will still be free for the first 20 minutes, for blue badge holders, frequent outpatient attendees, and the parents of sick children admitted to hospital overnight. Mr Taylor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Charging for parking ensures only those who need to visit our hospitals use a parking space and ensures a swift turnover of spaces."We would like to reassure all our patients and visitors that the income is used to maintain our car parks, including the costs of repairs and maintenance, lighting, gritting and security."Any surplus money is diverted into patient care to support the delivery of front-line services." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Low demand' bus route dropped after three months
An "isolated" community is to lose its first bus to a nearby town in a decade after only three months of operation. The number 68 from Port Clarence to Billingham and the University Hospital of North Tees was introduced on a trial basis in February. However operator Stagecoach announced the service will end after next week's half-term holiday because of low demand. It said it brought in just £12.58 a day and four people per trip, while running costs were in excess of £80 a day. Councillor Katie Weston, Labour member for Billingham South, said she did not blame the company but called for changes to help remote communities access public transport. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "There's a lot of kids who aren't doing anything after school because they literally can't get back, they rely on the school bus. "And people doing their shopping, going to the doctors, because Billingham is their town centre." After meetings with Stagecoach the service, which had not run for a decade, was brought back on a trial basis. "We thought we'd try and get enough people to use it, then we might be able to build on it and they might be able to put more times in place", Weston said. "The passenger numbers aren't high enough for Stagecoach to be financially viable. "It's a private company that at the very least needs to break even to run that service. "Less than half of the population of Port Clarence has access to a car, so it does leave them very isolated, socially and economically. "What they need is an actual proper regular bus service and, given the current system that we have, it's just not going to happen. A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "This trial was undertaken in good faith and at Stagecoach's commercial risk. "Unfortunately, across the first six weeks of operation, service 68 has carried an average of four people per trip, with a total revenue of £12.58 each day. "Labour costs alone for operating these trips has been around £80 per day - this is before fuel and vehicle costs are factored. "With such low demand, it was determined the trial could not be extended." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Stagecoach
BBC News
24-05-2025
- BBC News
New Port Clarence bus service dropped due to low demand
An "isolated" community is to lose its first bus to a nearby town in a decade after only three months of number 68 from Port Clarence to Billingham and the University Hospital of North Tees was introduced on a trial basis in February. However operator Stagecoach announced the service will end after next week's half-term holiday because of low demand. It said it brought in just £12.58 a day and four people per trip, while running costs were in excess of £80 a Katie Weston, Labour member for Billingham South, said she did not blame the company but called for changes to help remote communities access public transport. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "There's a lot of kids who aren't doing anything after school because they literally can't get back, they rely on the school bus. "And people doing their shopping, going to the doctors, because Billingham is their town centre." 'Financially viable' After meetings with Stagecoach the service, which had not run for a decade, was brought back on a trial basis."We thought we'd try and get enough people to use it, then we might be able to build on it and they might be able to put more times in place", Weston said."The passenger numbers aren't high enough for Stagecoach to be financially viable. "It's a private company that at the very least needs to break even to run that service."Less than half of the population of Port Clarence has access to a car, so it does leave them very isolated, socially and economically."What they need is an actual proper regular bus service and, given the current system that we have, it's just not going to happen. A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "This trial was undertaken in good faith and at Stagecoach's commercial risk."Unfortunately, across the first six weeks of operation, service 68 has carried an average of four people per trip, with a total revenue of £12.58 each day. "Labour costs alone for operating these trips has been around £80 per day - this is before fuel and vehicle costs are factored. "With such low demand, it was determined the trial could not be extended." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Teesside hospital parking charges to increase
Some hospital parking charges will rise by as much as £3 from next Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, the University Hospital of Hartlepool, the Peterlee Community Hospital and the Friarage in Northallerton will be will still be free for the first 20 minutes and for blue badge holders, frequent outpatient attendees and the parents of sick children admitted to hospital director of estates at University Hospitals Tees (UHT) Steve Taylor said "we understand this is not welcome news," but that the cost of maintaining the car parks could not be covered by its current operating budget. UHT is the partnership of the North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation for up to four hours parking will rise by between 30p and 60p across the hospitals from 2 cost of seven-day permits at James Cook and North Tees will rise by £3, a 43% increase. 'Ensures swift turnover' Income from the car parks was used to maintain them, Mr Taylor said the increase had been kept "as low as possible".Mr Taylor said: "Charging for parking ensures only those who need to visit our hospitals use a parking space and ensures a swift turnover of spaces." Parking charges at Teesside hospitals have already attracted controversy this staff parking rates introduced in April for North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees trust staff meant a 52% increase of almost £170 a year for some full-time James Cook staff, with consultants seeing a rise of £300 a year, a rise of more than 80%.These rises prompted anger from some NHS workers and the Unite union. The trusts said it was the first change in two years and said prices would reflect salary bandings, with some staff seeing reductions, including some South Tees staff working less than 10 hours a week having to pay £5.37 a month rather than £13.47. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
